The Cardlin Twins and the Scarlet Hatchling
by WritingGirl8642
Summary: The Cardlin twins, Abigail and Jessica, are two Muggle-born first years at Hogwarts. During their year, a dragon egg that was supposed to be used for the Triwizard Tournament is stolen and hidden. Unaware of the events, Jessica finds the egg and the newborn hatchling. With only time on their side, the twins must keep the dragon a secret and discover who tried to dispose of the egg.
1. Chapter One

_**Author's Note: **_**Hey everyone! Here is my Harry Potter fan fiction! I hope you like it!  
><strong>*All rights go to J.K. Rowling*  
><strong>Enjoy!<strong>

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter One<strong>

Diagon Alley was filled with life. Students and families filled the streets, looking through the windows at toys, candy, and broomsticks.  
>Abigail Cardlin looked doubtfully ahead of her. Her light blonde hair hung down over her shoulders and almost to her hips and her bright blue eyes hinted towards her feeling of subconsciousness.<br>Her twin sister, Jessica Cardlin, smiled at the rows of shops. Her bright green eyes sparkled with excitement. She stroked her ginger hair that had one small side-braid that was made out of her bangs.  
>Their mother stood beside them, her arms wrapped around Abigail and Jessica's shoulders. Their mother smiled, and started to walk forward. Abigail followed, while Jessica skipped behind them. People started to greet the mother and daughters, smiling at them and saying, "Good day." Abigail simply blushed, the tomato red covering her freckles along her cheeks.<br>They passed by many shops, and Abigail continued to glance at the letter that both her and her sister had received at her house. A man from the Hogwarts faculty came to visit, delivering the letters and explaining what Hogwarts was. The letter was tucked into a thick envelope, that had the texture of rough parchment. There was a wax seal stamp on the back with pictures of a badger, lion, snake, and raven with the letter _H _in the middle. The letter was written in green ink. It read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore  
><em>(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,<br>Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

Dear Ms. Cardlin,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.  
>Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl no later than 31 July.<p>

Yours Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall  
><em>Deputy Headmistress<em>

On the second page, there was a list of all the items she needed. Abigail read them allowed to her mother as they quickly passed the small shops on the street. Jessica glanced over her sister's shoulder to look, too.  
>"Look at your own letter, Jess," Abigail whimpered to her in her soft voice.<br>"I don't have it," Jessica simply replies in her high pitched voice. "I left it at home, by accident."  
>Abigail rolled her eyes and read over the second page. "Okay," she said in a shy voice. "We will need a few books."<br>She walked ahead of her mother and Jessica until they reached a shop with a sign just above their heads that read _Florish and Blotts._ She looked at her mother, who smiled at her.  
>Abigail smiled back and took a breath before stepping into the shop. There were students everywhere with their parents. Some were running around the shop and pointing out books that they want, while others were simply standing in line and socializing with people they know. Abigail walked into a line of people, watching as they all scurried to get the books they needed.<br>"I'll go grab the books," Abigail decided. "Stay here." She squeezed passed adults that were standing in line. She glanced up and down the shelf that almost reached the ceiling, reading off her book list.  
>"Okay," she whispered to herself. "I need <em>The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1),<em>_" _she quickly found the book and heaved it off the shelf. She grabbed two, knowing that Jessica would want one to herself. "_History or Magic, __Magical Theory, A Beginners Guide to Transfiguration, One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, Magical Drafts and Potions, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, _and _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_." She carried all the books in her hands, grunting with effort until she came up to her mother and asked for help.  
>Jessica was the first to grab the books, trying her best to keep the ones she took from toppling over. Their mother grabbed some of them, leaving all three of them holding small piles of books.<br>The line grew longer and longer behind them. They finally reached the front of the line. They placed the books on the small counter and paid their galleons for all the books.

After paying, they walked outside and Abigail glanced at the list again. Jessica was staring over her sister's shoulder again, peering at the written notes.  
>"We need robes," Abigail read.<br>"Okay," their mother nodded. They walked along the pathway, looking at all of the shops. Looking up, Abigail spotted a sign that read _Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions._ In the windows, there were many robes.  
>"In here," Abigail reported. She slowly opened the door, and the small family walked in together. "We need, 'Three sets of plain work robes (black)', 'One plain pointed (black) hat for day wear', 'One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)', and 'One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)'."<br>The smiling witch, which Abigail assumed was Madam Malkin, greeted them with a question, "Hogwarts, dearies?"  
>The twins nodded, and the witch pointed to the back of the shop, where there was a footstool and another witch waiting in the back. Jessica and Abigail walked into the back and stood on the two stools next to each other at the witch began to pin and fix the robes that they were fitting.<p>

Within two hours, they had almost everything they needed. "Jess and I need a wand, and a pet," Abigail decided, checking over the list a couple of times.  
>The twins had almost everything now. They walked down the pathway until they came up to a shop that read <em>Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C..<em> The shop was narrow, and they stepped through the doors, the small bell ringing through the old man stood behind the counter, his eyes pale. "Good afternoon," he greeted them with a raspy voice. "In need of wands, I presume?"  
>Abigail and Jessica nodded at the same time.<br>"Ah, yes," he sighed, walking out from behind the counter and in front of the twins. He pulled out a tape-measure from his pocket. He pointed to Jessica first, "Which is your wand arm?"  
>"Uh, my right arm," she guessed. Mr. Ollivander measured Jessica's arm length, from her shoulder to her tallest finger. He continued to measure her height, from her wrist to her elbow, her shoulder to the floor, knee to armpit. He wrapped the measuring tape around her head for the final measure.<br>Mr. Ollivander walked to the shelves of hundreds and thousands of wands that were stacked on top of each other. He grabbed three boxes from two shelves that stood right next to each other.  
>He put them all on the counter, and opened the one closest to Jessica. "Pear and unicorn hair, ten and a quarter inches, springy," he handed her the wand. She held it without knowing what to do, and he urged her on, "Give it a wave."<br>She flicked the wand in her hand, and he snatched it from her hand. He put it back in the box and tried the second one in the middle. "Dogwood and unicorn hair, nine and a half inches."  
>Jessica took it from Mr. Ollivander and held it in her hand. She didn't have to wave the wand, but it simply made her giggle. "It feels like it tickling my fingers," she laughed. The tip of the wand started to glow, and a blue stream of light danced out of the wand and started to flow through the room like a stream before evaporating into thin air.<br>"Yes!" Mr. Ollivander cheered. "Very good, indeed."  
>Jessica was grinning from ear to ear. She showed it to her mother. Mr. Ollivander started to measure Abigail, and within a few minutes, he was back with five wand boxes in his hands.<br>"Pear and phoenix feather, nine inches, flexible," he handed her the wand. Abigail waved it around, but he took it from her like he did Jessica. He handed her another, "Cypress and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, swishy." Before she even lifted the wand, he took it from her and gave her another. "This one is apple with phoenix feather, nine and a quarter inches, flexible." She took the wand and understood why Jessica was giggling.  
>Her palm felt warm with the wood as if it was glowing against her hand. The tip of the wand started to glow, but a small blue and purple flame was swaying on the tip, like a flame sitting on a candle wick.<br>"Ah, yes, good... good," he smiled at the twins.  
>Abigail and Jessica stood by each other and compared wands. They almost the exact same length, and the wand woods shined in both their eyes.<p>

Abigail led them to a small shop called _Eeylops Owl Emporium & Magical Menagerie. _Abigail glanced at all the owls with a large smile. They screeched at the passing people on the pathway.  
>Jessica put her finger under the beak of a beautiful barn owl, stroking its throat. The owl's eyes were closed with pleasure. "Mom," Jessica called. "I want this one."<br>Mrs. Cardlin smiled at her daughter and nodded. "Pick one out, Abigail," she patted the other twin on the shoulder.  
>Abigail looked up at her mother and blinked at the different animals. There were cats sitting under where the owls were perched, licking their paws. Abigail looked at a tawny owl, its eyes wide and innocent. Abigail smiled at it, and the owl opened its beak, but no sound came out. She walked towards the bird and copied the motion that Jessica had done, putting her finger under its beak and stroked its throat. The owl's eyes began to close.<br>"This one," Abigail decided, smiling.  
>They put their owls in small cages with silver bars. Abigail grabbed the handle of her new bird in his cage and started walking down the alleyway and to the brick wall where they had come in.<p> 


	2. Chapter Two

**Author's Note:** _Here is Chapter 2! I hope you like it!_

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter Two<strong>

Jessica's eyes popped open. She blinked a few times to stir the blur in her eyes. She slowly rubbed them drowsily, yawning at the same time. She turned over in her bed to the small clock on her wooden dresser. The clock read 5:37am. She smiled with delight, ripping the covers off her and slipping her small feet in her light blue slippers. She slowly tiptoed out of the room, careful not to wake her sister who is sleeping across the room.  
>Jessica slipped out, silently closing the door behind her. She skipped down the stairs, keeping light on her toes. Her golden retriever's head, that was resting on his legs, popped up. He stuck out his tongue at her, slowly standing up and licking at her fingers.<br>"Hi, Leo," she greeted her dog.  
>Leo jumped up, clawing at Jessica's pajama shirt. He licked the air, trying to reach her face.<br>"Shh," she put her finger to her mouth. "Shh, yes, hi..." she calmed him down, gently petting his head and pushing against his chest so he wouldn't jump on her. She walked along the light yellow hallway, passing pictures of her and her sister that were hung on the wall.  
>Jessica walked into the living room, smiling at her trunk that was sitting open on the green and white checkerboard couch. She began to silently pack, putting her robes and books into the trunk, then adding her own special touches. She keeps her wand with her, and decided that she would keep it in her boot. She quickly went to the front door where her shoes sat and stuck it down the leather side.<br>She finished placing everything she needed and wanted in her trunk. She struggled to close it, but it soon clicked and she sighed with effort. Her owl sat in its cage, its bright yellow eyes blinking in the rising sunlight. She silently walked over to the catch and smiled at her owl, admiring her light brown feathers. She stared into the owl's eyes.  
>"I need a name for you," she whispered. She walked around the cage, examining the owl. "You look like paint splattered on you..." She thought for a moment, then smiled, "I'll call you Easel."<br>Jessica heard footsteps coming down the stairs, and she looked up to see Abigail. She was wearing her polka-dotted pajamas, and her hair looked like she had just come out of a storm. She yawned as she heavily stepped down the stairs.  
>"Good morning," Jessica greeted her.<br>Abigail replied with a groan as she slumped onto the checkerboard couch next to the two trunks. She squeezed her eyes together, then popped them open again, a technique she used to wake herself up. She saw the trunks and gasped, standing up quickly, "It's today!"  
>Jessica raised her shoulders up, her small front teeth over her bottom lip in a wide smile. "I know!" she squealed.<br>Abigail looked at Jessica's closed trunk, "I see you're packed."  
>"I see you aren't," Jessica playfully argued back. "I thought you were the 'prepared' one."<br>Abigail stuck her tongue out at Jessica and slowly headed towards the kitchen. She opened up the fridge and grabbed the milk, poring it into a small purple glass. Putting the milk back, she took a sip from the glass and closed the fridge. She had a white mustache that she quickly licked off.  
>"So, what house do you want to be in?" Jessica asked her sister.<br>"Oh," Abigail puts her free hand to her chin. "Um, I don't know." She walked back into the room and put the purple glass on the end table that sat next to the checkerboard couch. "I asked one girl that I met in _Flourish and Blotts_, and she said Gryffindor is nice," Abigail explained as she started to pack things into her trunk.  
>"Really?" Jessica asked, walking into the kitchen and copying the motions of getting a milk glass. "Because I want to be in Hufflepuff."<br>Abigail looked up at Jessica from her trunk.  
>"You don't think they will separate us, do you?" Jessica asked with worry.<br>"I don't know."  
>"I hope not," Jessica drank from her glass of milk and watched her sister pack up the rest of her things.<p>

* * *

><p>The day went by incredibly slow, from the time Jessica got up to the time she got into the car and headed for the train station. Abigail and Jessica held hands in the back seat the entire car ride, the phobia of being separated crawling up their necks.<br>Once the twins and their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Cardlin, arrived at the train station, they had no idea where to go. They had their trunks and owls stacked onto two luggage carts. The twins pushed them with ease along the different platforms. Jessica counted the signs as they went along, "'7'... '8'..."  
>Abigail pulled out her ticket, and label reading "Platform 9 34".  
>"'Platform 9 34'?" Jessica read from over Abigail's shoulder.  
>"Is that even a platform?" their mother asked.<br>"Come on, Caitlin," Jessica heard a woman with a Scottish accent from behind them. "You're up."  
>A young girl with a dark brown bob cut took a deep breath and walked ahead of them. She raised her shoulders, and she dropped them as she ran into the middle of a wall. She passed right through it.<br>Abigail and Jessica exchanged looks of pure excitement and astonishment. The woman that had urged on the girl came around the family, and Mrs. Cardlin stopped them. "Hello," she tapped the woman on the shoulder. "Sorry to stop you, but do you know how to get Platform 9 3/4?"  
>"Yes, dearie," the woman smiled and pointed in between the wall. "Right in between platforms 9 and 10."<br>"Run?" Jessica gaped her mouth in astonishment.  
>"Yes," the woman nodded, leaning down so she was face to face with the ginger. "Right in between," she pointed again. "You laddies go first so you get on the other side safely."<br>Jessica and Abigail smiled at each other and began to run. They pushed their carts ahead of them, and they shifted so Jessica was first to enter, then Abigail. Jessica expected the impact of the solid brick wall, but instead flew right through, and ended up in another hallway.  
>There were parents with their children, walking up and down the platform, hugging and waving to each other. Jessica was speechless, but she kept her wide smile on.<br>Soon, the woman and her parents were on the platform, and sharing the same faces of astonishment.  
>"Well, come on, then," the woman urges them forward. "The train leaves at exactly 11:00am." She looks up at a clock right above their heads that reads "10:43".<br>The woman joins up with the young girl, and they hug. Abigail and Jessica look back at their parents and smile.  
>"We'll see you soon," Jessica hugged her father.<br>"Yeah," he put one of his giant arms around her.  
>Abigail hugged her father and Jessica hugged her mother.<br>"Don't forget to write," Mrs. Cardlin reminded them.  
>Abigail and Jessica nodded, and they began to push their carts away. "We won't," they called back in their identical voices.<br>They loaded their trunks into the train and carried their owls in their cages. Jessica stuck her finger in the cage and stroked Easel's neck again. Abigail and Jessica sat in one of the train's compartments, and they tucked their trunks up in the corner.  
>Within a few minutes, they were settled and had all of their stuff neatly put away. Abigail and Jessica sat next to each other and looked out the window, watching the clock above the platform sign.<br>"'10:57'," Jessica read. She grabbed Abigail's hand as the hands of the clock began to tick until they hit "11:00". As smoke began to rise, children scurried onto the train and began waving to their parents.  
>Jessica waved to her mother, "Bye, Mum!"<br>Her mother began to blow kisses, and her father simply waved to the leaving twins. Soon, the parents had all disappeared as the train departed from the station.  
>Suddenly, the door to the compartment slid open, and the girl with the bob cut hair stepped in.<br>"Mind if I sit with ya'?" she asked, her Scottish accent ringing.  
>"Sure," Jessica gestured to the seat across from them.<br>"Thank you," she sat down and put her hands on her lap. "I'm Caitlin, by the way."  
>"Jessica," Jessica waved.<br>"Abigail."  
>"Wow, you two are identical!" Caitlin exclaimed, her light hazel eyes sparkling. "Besides the hair, of course."<br>Abigail and Jessica exchanged looks, and began to glance over each other's facial features.  
>"Yeah," Abigail shrugged.<br>"I guess," copied Jessica.  
>The compartment door opened again, and a boy stuck his head through. He was a tall boy, and fairly skinny. "Excuse me," his voice was quiet. "You don't mind if I sit here, do you?"<br>"Not at all," Caitlin scooted over in the seat and patted the cusion.  
>The boy faintly smiled and sat next to Caitlin, taking off his beanie cap, revealing ear-length, dirty blonde hair. He had bright blue eyes like the sky when the sun is setting, and his skin was tan like Easel's feathers.<br>Jessica found herself smiling at him, and she cleared her throat, "What's your name?"  
>"Jacob," he held out his hand shyly. "Jacob Plening."<br>"Hello," Jessica lightly took his hand. "I'm Jessica Cardlin, and this is my sister, Abigail."  
>"Nice to meet you," he sat back in the seat and listened as Caitlin continued on asking questions for all of them.<p>

After an hour of talking between the four of them in the compartment, there was a great clattering outside in the corridor. A woman slid open the door, with a giant cart filled with goodies. "Anything off the cart, dears?" she asked, her dimples glowing as she smiled.  
>Jacob nodded quickly and mumbled, "Yeah." He leaned over and reached for his pocket, grabbing a few Knuts and Sickles.. He handed them to the woman, "Can I have a Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean, and a Caldron Cake?"<br>Jacob exchanged his Sickles and Knuts with the woman and grabbed the treats greedily.  
>"I'll have a Pumpkin Pastie," Caitlin added, looking in her beanie cap that she placed on the table. She grabbed a few Sickles and she was rewarded with her candy. Caitlin held out a few Sickles to the twins. "Here, get somethin'."<br>Abigail shook her head and held out her hand, "No, we have some." She stood up and slowly opened her trunk and searched for something. She closed her trunk again and opened up her light pink pocket book. She pulled out Knuts and Sickles, and handed them to the lady. "Want any, Jess?"  
>"Yeah," she examined the cart. "Can I have a Chocolate Frog, please?"<br>"Me, too," Abigail agreed, and handed the woman her money.  
>Within seconds, the twins were opening up their candy with excitement. Jessica unwrapped her Chocolate Frog package, and she found a dark brown frog. It turned to face her and hopped out of the package and onto the table.<br>"You got a card!" Caitlin pointed to the package, her mouth stuffed with candy.  
>Jessica pulled out the card and turned it over. There was a blank frame with the name "Norvel Twonk". She read the description of the card, "Norvel Twonk famously died saving a Muggle child from a runaway Manticore - an act which earned him a posthumous Order of Merlin, First Class".<br>Jessica leaned over to Abigail and showed her the card, "I got Norvel Twonk."  
>"Oh," Caitlin swallowed. "He's brilliant. I have about four of those."<br>Jessica curls her lip in a side smile. Abigail slowly unwraps hers, and examines the name. "Tilly Toke?" she read out loud. Jessica read the description over her sister's shoulder. "Tilly Toke earned the Order of Merlin, First Class, who saved Muggle lives during the Ilfracombe Incident of 1932, when a dragon swooped down on a beach full of sunbathers".  
>Abigail and Jessica stacked their two cards on top of each other and Abigail gently put them into her organized trunk up above them.<p>

* * *

><p>Arriving at the school was like arriving at the Queen's front door. The night was cold, but that didn't bother the first year twins. They walked along the other students, their mouths gaped in amazement. Perched on a high mountain was a large castle that had many towers and turrets that overlooked a gigantic lake.<br>A witch led Jessica, Abigail, Jacob, and Caitlin to a boat with a lantern that hung over the black water. They all slowly got in, careful not to tip the boat. Once all the students were in the boats, and their attention was back on the vast castle, the boats started to glide across the water. Jessica leaned over the side of the boat and watched the ripples meet, then dance together for brief seconds before departing forever.

After all the students departed from their boats, they migrated up stone steps to large doors. The doors swung open, and behind them was a witch that was tall and wore emerald-green robes. She nodded to the giant man who had opened the door, and she spoke in a stern voice, "Follow me."  
>All of the students huddled close together into a gigantic entrance hall. There were flaming torches hanging on the walls, and the witch led us to a small, empty chamber off the hall.<br>The witch stopped us, and glances from face to face. "Welcome to Hogwarts," she spoke. "I am Professor McGonagall, the Deputy Headmistress. The start of term banquet will begin shortly, but you will need to be sorted into your separate houses before then. The Sorting ceremony is very important, because it will sort you into the houses that will become like a family. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room." She began to explain the houses, and how they each have their own unique history. There are four houses called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.  
>Jessica began to look around at all the new faces and notices some students exchanging looks as she explained each house.<br>"The Sorting ceremony will begin in a few minuets." With that, she left the chamber. All the students were quiet for a moment, but almost immediately, voices began to erupt. Jessica kept close to her sister.  
>"This is so exciting!" Jessica loudly whispered over the talking students.<br>"I know," Abigail agreed. "There are so many students, more than I expected."  
>Jessica nodded. Caitlin and Jacob squeezed through the students and stood beside the twins. "Hi," Caitlin greeted them.<br>Jessica smiled, "What house do you want to be in?"  
>"I really like Gryffindor," she decided. "Its my favorite color, red!"<br>Abigail nodded, "Me, too."  
>Jacob and Jessica began to talk about the candy that they had eaten, and what flavors Jacob had gotten in the Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean.<br>"I think I got ear wax..." he muttered, itching his ear. "It tasted..."  
>"Gross?"<br>"No..." he scrambled for the right word.  
>"Vile?"<br>"Yes!" he snapped his fingers. "That is a perfect word for it!"  
>He seemed for excited than he was on the train, Jessica decided. She had a long discussion with him. He has three siblings, two of which are Muggles. His one sibling is a third year, and is in Ravenclaw.<br>Jessica began to talk about her family before Professor MsGonagall came back. "Come along, the Sorting Ceremony is about to begin."  
>All of the students moved along, and Jessica grabbed hold on Abigail's hand so they wouldn't be separated.<br>"Form a line," Professor McGonagall ordered. Everyone lined up behind each other, and Jessica ended up staring at the back of her sister's blonde hair. They marched through the hallways and walked through a pair of large double doors to the Great Hall.  
>The Great Hall was large, and had thousands of lit candles that floated over four long tables that were crowded with students. At the end of the room, there was another long table with many chairs that were taken by, what Jessica assumed were teachers.<br>McGonagall led the line to the front and had them face the other students that were all seated at their tables. She put a four legged stool in front of the first student in line with a pointed, dirty hat on the top. After a few awkward and silent seconds, the hat jerked, and a rip in the hat formed in the shape of a mouth. It began to sing in a raspy voice:

_"Oh, you may not think I'm __pretty,  
>But don't judge on what you see,<br>I'll eat myself if you can find  
>A smarter hat than me.<br>You can keep your bowlers black,  
>Your top hats sleek and tall,<br>For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
>And I can cap them all.<br>There's nothing hidden in your head  
>The Sorting Hat can't see,<br>So try me on and I will tell you  
>Where you ought to be.<br>You might belong in Gryffindor,  
>Where dwell the brave at heart,<br>Their daring, nerve, and chivalry,  
>Set Gryffindors apart;<br>You might be Hufflepuff,  
>Where they are just and loyal,<br>Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
>And unafraid of toil;<br>Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
>If you've a ready mind,<br>Where those of wit and learning,  
>Will always find their kind;<br>Or perhaps in Slytherin  
>You'll make your real friends,<br>Those cunning folk use many means  
>To achieve their ends.<br>So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
>And don't get in a flap!<br>You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
>For I'm the Thinking Cap!"<em>

With that, the song ended, and the Great Hall burst in a roar of applause. The line of students began to discuss what house they want to be in, and if their siblings would want them in their house.  
>Jessica felt her sister's cold hand lock with hers, and she took a deep breath. Professor McGonagall held out a roll of parchment, "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted." She licked her lips and read the first name. "Amaliz, Grace!"<br>A pale girl with an infestation of freckles stepped forward and sat on the stool, putting on the hat. "HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.  
>The girl smiled widely, and ran down the steps and was greeted by the table of clapping students.<br>Names were called, and as the line grew shorter, the twins began to get more and more nervous.  
>"Buerto, Joy!"<br>"RAVENCLAW!" shouted the hat. The second table to the left applauded the new house member.  
>"Byez, Jonathan!<br>"SLYTHERIN!"  
>"Cardlin, Abigail!" Professor McGonagall called.<br>Abigail, who was still holding Jessica's hand, tensed. She quickly slid her hand back to her side and walked to the stool. Sitting down, she put it on her head.  
>"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat called.<br>The table on the far left cheered lowdly, and Abigail skipped down the stairs towards them.  
>Jessica happily watched her sister make her way to the front of the table where the older Gryffindors were patting her on the back and shaking hands with her.<br>"Cardlin, Jessica!" Professor McGonagall said next.  
>Jessica looked over her shoulder at the remaining students before walking confidently towards the stool. She put the hat on first before sitting down, and it shouted without hesitation;<br>"HUFFLEPUFF!"  
>Jessica felt her heart fall straight into her stomach.<br>Abigail's shoulders drooped, and her jaw fell in disbelief.  
>Jessica slowly put the hat back on the stool, and listened to the sound of the clapping table on her right. She swallowed a lump in her throat.<br>She pretended to smile as she shook hands with her new housemates and felt pats on her back. One boy gently messed up her hair, causing orange strands to stand out of place. She laughed, fixing it before sitting down, listening to the other names with sadness.


End file.
